


Axon

by FompFloat



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F, Hiatus Feels, S.ave O.ur S.estras, cophine - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-05 21:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1832920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FompFloat/pseuds/FompFloat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Night Life AU: Delphine Cormier, co-club owner of Axon, one of the hottest venues in Canada, needs a performer when all other plans fall through for the event of the year, Neolution. Felix refers her to his friend Cosima, who has worked shows locally and proves to be more than exceptional at working a crowd.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fluid Motion

It was all fog and smoke, trying to pry eyelids cemented with last night’s eyeliner open. Unfolding herself from the desk chair letting a page from her rough draft peel itself of her face leaving glitter on the page, her lips let out a long yawn, cracking her spine as she stretch in the baroque pattern seat. Feeling around for her glasses, the girl dragged her feet away from the mess of papers, books, and receipts, tripping over the heels she had carelessly thrown into the room. It seems she tried to work on her paper after a long night of sub woofers, and four figured bpms. 

Last night was a good night, lots of people. Might finally start getting some decent gigs. 

She pulled out the large hardcase luggage, filling through the cables recalled hastily shoving into it, trying to claw her way through detangling the chords as she unburied her mixer, making sure she hadn’t damaged it in her rush to get home after the club called it quits and settled for a playlist decent. It was 4am when she was able to leave, and was able to get the paper done and handed in that morning in class at 9 to her professor, after going to her 2 o’ clock she reclaimed some much needed hours of REM. 

It was 7pm when Cosima woke, trying to get everything in order for some semblance of a normal schedule. Fighting the urge to start rearranging her archive of playlists, she decided to straighten up the small living space that was littered with empty coffee mugs, and joint ashes. The past couple of weeks had been eventful, she had been hired to DJ for three of Canada’s hottest clubs, reaping some pretty great benefits from people who think they're suppose to tip the chick sweeping and swaying at the turn tables. 

The nightlife which had become night work, was exhausting, but at least it was something she could enjoy for herself. There was something about hearing people screaming to you mixes blaring through Audio-Technica equipment, that makes techno reggae and trip-hop its own drug. Though she felt a bit unkempt and her humble abode somewhat neglected, her new routine of club music/books/ and irregular sleep had settled pretty nicely into it’s place. 

She began cleaning off the old black crusts from her eyes. Washing her face bringing a glow on to the surface of her clear skin, finally applying her signature across the corners of her eyes in liquid LAncome, she saw the flash of her phone screen vibrating on her table.

I was told to call you if I couldn’t find someone in time to DJ for tonight. I am in owner of Axon, and we are in need of someone with experience to perform tonight, nothing you aren’t used to from what Felix has told me. The job is available to you if you so choose. Call this number, and come in so we can talk about you compensation. Event starts at 11pm.

Cosima gave her phone a frustrated grin, she had been planning on getting some coffee cake from Hendrix Bakes down the street, and start on her research proposal. Instead, she slipped into a tight burgundy dress, fish nets, and heels pulling her metallic luggage letting the Bose headphones wrap around her collar.

 

Merde.

“What about Stephen? He said that he would be willing to fill in for Mark if anything happened? Shot gun wedding? Is that a reference for something… look it doesn’t matter…Neolution the biggest Axon event we have all year, we need a performer or at least a good DJ…. Nevermind, I’ll take care of it, just be there tonight, hopefully things go better than I am projecting them to be.” Merde. The blonde curls fell forward as Delphine looked down at the event sheets, the best alcohol money could buy, some of the biggest club seen competitors on the VIP lists, everything handled with precision, and yet she couldn’t foresee plan A through E falling through. 

She had no one to perform for the night, the night where young investors, artists, athletes, where coming to partake in Neolution, a Club event that usually produces the most income for Axon, boosting its reputation for Fringe entertainment. Borrowing the idea from a trip she took with a friend to New York, a club called Oxygen had rows of flavored oxygen tanks that filtered pure oxygen through cannulas. People could use these supposedly producing a some sort of natural high, she brought the same idea to Leekie and he got the permits, there were other things she wanted to invest in before she was put in the position of running the club while Leekie was on vacation, she handled the finances, talking to investors for the club, sometimes the legal side too. How could the entertainment slip her mind.

“Delphine! I can hear the au bon pain burning from out here, let me in.” Felix, a bartender and self-employed escort that Delphine managed to make friends with during the ordeal of handling the illegalities of dealing with minors in the club.

“Come in the door is unlocked.” She could her clanging of glasses, and a struggle at the door before Felix managed to burst through the door.

“Way to treat a loving guess with gifts bitch.” He bumped her with his side, pouring a glass of cheap whiskey in one of the glasses he brought with him. She remained seated, brow furrowed, looking at a call list trying to decipher Leekie handwriting.

“Not now Felix we have a problem.”

“Listen Del-feline, its rapture if there isn’t a problem in this place.” He rubbed her shoulders jokingly, but it still felt comforting, handling a club that brings in a million a month on your own, after being left without any instructions aside from a tattered notebook filled with scribbles and unintelligible scratches, it was just nice to have someone present, letting you know that it is actual madness. 

“We don’t have a performer, we don’t have any performers.”

“Well there has to be someone.”

“Doesn’t there?!” She sat back in her chair eyes closed trying to maintain a demeanor of professional composure but this was becoming a nightmare.

“I think I might have someone for you, she good. Really good. But she doesn’t really have a name to her yet, though she does know how to work a crowd, she dances like a sexy fountain.” She looked at him to see if he was being sarcastic in his solution, to her nervous relief, his demeanor was solemn, offering an option besides drowning in expensive alcohol and disappointed clients. 

“Does she have experience?”

“She’s the one who worked Vics’ venue this past saturday. So technically yeah.”

“She will have to do, give me her information, and hopefully we can salvage what remains of all this...this.” 

“Bloody piss and shit.”

“Yes, that.” 

 

 

So, I thought the owner of Axon was some albino old guy. Fe this is not an albino old guy.

Cosima was trying to smother the thoughts as they subtly contoured her face. Shaking it off with a charming smile she extended her hand to the woman, who breathed a deep sigh of relief at the sight of her. Delphine took Cosima’s hands into a gracious grasp, saying thank you’s and merci’s, catching Cosima off guard. She has an accent. Of course she has an accent.

“I’m so happy you came.” She said breathlessly, genuinely content at seeing a friendly face. 

Of course it’s a fucking french accent, oh fuck you Felix.  
“Yeah! No me too obvs, that’s why I’m here. But this place is like, pretty high up on the food chain as far at night life entertainment is concerned. Why the last minute house call, not that I’m complaining.”

“I suppose it was just the perfect storm, no point in worrying about the past. We can discuss your payment as well as where you will be working.” Delphine lead the small woman around like a child fascinated by a museum of strobe lights and hard floors that reflected of her rimmed frames. 

The venue was enclosed not like anyone one would be able to tell, the place was massive, and most definitely housed the trance, and thumping techno feel, maybe even cyber goth in the right light. The top floor was basically an indoor balcony looking over the dancefloor, but when Delphine pointed out where she was to be stationed the rest of the night. I was any music enthusiasts dream, the station had state of the art audio equipment, right in the middle of the dancefloor risen of the ground, as it rotated and a slow pace.

A moving disc jockey table, there is a god. 

“People are already coming in and we need to have you set up. Everything has been provided, as long as you have your laptop. The lights have been programmed, I am not sure how comfortable you are with all of the equipment but I would say just do what feels right to you.” Before Delphine could finish her thought, Cosima was connecting her now seemingly outdated mixer next to the pristine technology and adjusting the levels of the soundboard, her mind shooting chemicals, excitement, adrenaline, curiosity in working with the hardware she could only tinker with in store. 

“Music is a lot like mad science if you think about it. Chemistry specifically if you ask me. And you guys have just given me the motherboard of all sound science sets.” She stated over her shoulder with a large goofy smile as she connected her laptop to the soundboard, Delphine staring charmed by the earnest and childish excitement radiating from this small statured woman amused by the statement.

“Well you seem to be adapting well, if you have any questions. I am not the one to ask, I have no idea on how to work those switches and knobs. But if you need any drinks, I will make an exception as long as it doesn’t get too out of hand.

“Well I’ll have one right here and now and call it, if you’ll do a shot with me. In celebration of you giving me the opportunity of a life time.”

“As long as I’m drinking to the alleviated stress of what was an atrocious situation.” She grabbed a bottle from the bar sitting at the left of the booth, and pour two shots. They gulped both gulped it down, although Cosima shivered and found her left eye closing compulsively whilst Delphine simply smiled appreciating the warmth spreading in her stomach.  
Everything was fluid, every transition natural, every atom orbiting every other atom creating the elements, that formed the chemicals which produced the feeling of euphoria now, permeating through her skin. 

A shot of vodka couldn’t do this, a fucking oz. of weed could do this, but the clamour of the crowd, their impulse to move being taken away by pure instinct and surrender to compulsive motion. The spectrum of movement from, rigid to filthy, it was all so pellucid, the kid of thing you can only bear witness to after a person is too intoxicated to care, or has had so much shit thrown in their face, they just can’t seem to find a place within themselves to actually worry about the petty judgmental glances. It was all beautiful, mad, and crazy science. 

At one point Felix had jumped into the booth and dance with her, arms swaying, hips grinding, dreads swooping into her face, their audience cheering in incoherent approval. Most people wear dancing the mix of edm and soul, other where mesmerized by the liquid motions of Cosmia’s shift and body, later long after the club is closed for the night she discovers that half of crowd of people have dubbed her H2O, the other actually heard of her and settled for yelling “DJ Cos”. 

The lights shooting onto the dancefloor revealing the massive group of people surrounding the rotating sound booth, the fervor, it was all so surreal and most certainly ephemeral, but it was an experience to tuck away into your back pocket to tell kids at barbecues to make you look cool. I mean how many people can say they have DJ’d on a moving platform with hundreds of inebriated adult slurring your name in their throats. 

6am rolls by, Neolution presented by Axon reaching record breaking capacity, the night also produced the record for the most DUI’s in 12 hours in the region. Cosima was a bit tired, but the name she took before taking on the challenge of composing the score for a techno reggae musical on site proved to be helpful in maintaining an active body on the floor. Felix got off around 3am running ahead to rejuvenate for a date he had with Collin later today. She pack up her luggage rolling it across the now empty cathedral like space. When she noticed a body leaning over in a sofa in the upstairs balcony. She made her way up the steps to find the tired french girl nursing a cup of red liquid looking over paper work, glancing up and smiling at the sharply edged eyes behind thin glass. 

“You did a wonderful job tonight, today? Last night?” Cosima giggled lightly and plopped beside delphine, unsuspecting of the way the sofa sinked in smashing their sides together. She didn’t bother to shift, and Delphine paid no mind continuing to look at the numbers and figures on the sheets sprawls across the long floor table.

“Merci Mademoiselle, I had a lot of fun.”

“I could see, they dubbed you H2O.”

“What? I have a nickname now.”

“Oui, c’est vrai. Felix told me you danced like a sexy fountain, I wasn't sure what that meant, I am glad to say that I know now.” She laughed, and it was the first time she had heard this woman laugh and smile, like with her eyes and face. The whole night she had the buisness smile, the work laugh that only presents itself at face value, the genuine article can’t even pass of as a china town bootleg. 

“So you are either saying that I am a sexy fountain, or it is funny that I dance like a sexy fountain?”

“I will cover my bases and say both.” They laughed again, when Cosima winced and used the her fingers to rub at her temples, feeling the effects of the tinnitus inducing sound hang over, the ringing. Delphine put her hand on Cosima’s back to try and comfort her passing her drink over to her.

“I don’t think hooch is gonna help France.”

“It’s not, it’s tomato juice.”

“Not even a bloody mary? What are you 78?”

“You don’t have to drink anything then brat.” Cosima then jerked at the cup of the blended veggie fruit playfully, finally taking a few sipps, to her surprise, she felt better. Delphine smirked at the obvious relief surfacing on the Cosima’s cheeks wiping the crease of her brow of her face. “See it’s good. I drink for headaches or hangovers.”

“Which one of the two do you have now.”

“Both.” She laughed, then turning her smile into serious straight lipped business “I look forward to working with you again, I glad we were able to help you make your debut.”

“Nah, no debut, this is just something I like to do, past time kinda thing. I’m actually in school right now. Evo-Devo,” Shit! School looking at her watch, she hadn’t realized what time it was, she only had half an hour to get to campus, and she would have to drag the equipment around the whole day. “Crap I have to leave now, like right now, I have class at 9.”

“You only have maybe less than an hour, I can drive you.”

“You don’t have to do that besides all my stuff.”

“It’s fine, though the club is a low key restaurant during the day, I can hold your stuff at my apartment until you get out of class.”

“But you don’t have to.”

“Cosima.” A stern look, a glare, it was unsettling how this tomato juice drinking puppy turns into a rottie in like a second.

“Okay fine, fine. Just don’t look at me like that.”

“A simpler solution would be to not force me to do so.” She responded with a small laugh in her throat as she got her keys out of her purse.


	2. Set Match Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a successful performance, Cosima is having to chose between new and promising opportunities.

Luckily the lecture was engaging enough to help her retain actual consciousness instead of having to feign notetaking whilst resting her head on her hand, lazily holding a pen to her legal pad, a technique she had come to master in order to preserve her grades. Unfortunately, professors docked your grade on attendance no matter how substantial and well researched one’s work is, but today’s discussion on the debate of epigenetic influences on clone cells was fascinating enough to jar her from her sinking conscious mind. 

After going the the cuban bakery a ways down from campus to purchase a shot of sweet espresso, “coltaitos” is what was written on the menu in chalk above the various machines and ovens, the stuff was god sent. 

Delphine said that she would still be up going over last nights proceeds by the time Cosima had gotten out of class so she messaged her the apartment address as the car pulled up to the lecture hall. She could pick up the equipment she had brought to the club, and a grin sprouted from behind lenses, Cosima asked the man with a comb over and 18k gold chain for an order of ham croquettes and a coltaito to go.

Delphine lived fairly close to Felix as she was able to walk past the apartment after she had gotten of the bus to arrive 10 minutes later to Ethan Dr. building 324 apartment B-2. The building was clean-cut and sharp, slate brick, black doors with a doorbell listing all of the residents names in a bold Tahoma font. 

She rang melodically, but was let in by a resident in a three piece suit rushing out to get to a meeting, or court room, or business brunch invitation probably. Cosima figured she would make her way up stairs and try her luck, when she got up the stairs she found the door cracked open. 

Alarmed she quietly pawed the door open, trying to muffle the squeak, and saw Felix, dried tears snoozing on Delphines lap as she sat up snoozing away, his legs stretching across the four seating sofa. It was stupid adorable, but also bitter, maybe he got stood up by that guy he was getting all done up for, putting a small crack in the girls smile as she looked at an exhausted Delphine. She had her arm slung over felix, holding at his hand as he loosely tugged at it in his sleep, while the other held a pen she was using for some task relating to the legal forms on the small glass table next to the sofa sharing the space with a bright lamp. 

Cosima quietly snuck in, trying her best not to let her heeled boot clack to loudly against the dark hardwood floors of the apartment, bring the styrofoam cup filled with the elixir of nite life to the blonde’s nose. Delphine inhales deeply, waking to the elegant aroma, pleasantly surprised to be met with her bespectacled coffee holding intruder.

“What’s the damage in the section of glitter and lube?” Cosima joked peering down and the still slumber of the broken hearted, Delphine almost spilled the small cup from laughing as her teeth knocked against it burning her upper lip. “Woah, easy there, that is the real Cuban gold this is.”

“Thank you, it is very much needed. He was fine when he walked in, like he didn’t care that Collin had to cancel their plans, but then he started drinking and fell asleep. I thought he would have been fine if he didn’t start crying by the time he closed his eyes.” She rubbed his head, and he turned into her in response getting more comfortable on the leather couch. “Your luggage is by the bookshelf behind you, unless you would like some food. I’m sure it has been quite some time since any of us have had anything.” Cosima the pulled out her bag of croquettes, and was now happy with the fact that she bought the Cuban bread she was so unsure she could finish before it would turn stale.

“If you’ve got any ham and cheese we can have some melts, it’ll rock your world kid.”

“Make mine with mustard and a glass of sparkling wine” Felix muttered into Delphine’s stomach, as he rose from his bitter sweet slumber.

 

After eating toasted bread smeared with relish and melted swiss with Felix and Delphine, Cosima looked that she had received a message from Martin, some scrunt working for Rachel Duncan, she runs a high end hookah lounge on the other side of town. He had torned her down a couple weeks ago when she was first getting into the profession of sound chemistry. 

Ms. Duncan wishes to meet with you, your performance at Axon has gotten her attention and is wanting to pursue a long-term contract. next Monday at 6 is the time she has available, please respond to this number if the time conflicts with your schedule.

“Shit.” Cosima thought, or at least didn’t expect her surprise to be audible as she pressed her thumb against her forehead rubbing circles. “Rachel Sunken Duncan, and her scrunt.”

Delphine wasn’t sure what a ‘scrunt’ was, but she was painfully familiar with the name Duncan. Leekie had tried to negotiate the calendar of event dates with her, in order to not step on any big event dates either venue was having, Duncan was rigid and said that he could move Axon’s dates around but that she had not intention of changing her program that had been set months in advance. Once again, trying to step on Axon, by offering Cosima, who knows what after Delphine was the one to help her make her debut. Offer up one of the areas best local performers to a competitor was something Delphine had no intention of allowing.

“Sunken Duncan?”

“Yeah, she’s like pretty, and business, and whatever. But like, I don’t think her face knows what to do in order to smile.”

“She is the owner of ‘SMS’ non?”

“Mhmm, I had contacted them when I first got into doing gigs when they had a help wanted ad on their page. Told me they were looking for more qualified people and sent me on my merry way.”

“Poor you” Felix munched at the crisp bread and cheese as the crumbs fell to his plate, squinting at Cosima feigning bitterness throwing his crumbs at her while the sat at the four chaired dining table, “not like the sound muse and grace of your sexy fountain dancing didn’t spill all over the massive crowd of drunks and skanks.”

“Now that you've performed for an audience of 1,500, you seem to have gained more qualifications her eyes I’m assuming.” Her voice came out more hoarse than she expected, in her attempt to try and fashion the statement into a compliment.

“I don’t think there was that many-”

“-We can match her.”

“You know SMS stands for Set Match Smoke…”

“Jokes aside, whatever she is offering in compensation, we will match it if you feel our my offer is not acceptable and doesn’t reach her’s.”

Cosima crossed her arms and leaned on the bookshelf, tongue between her teeth deliberating and realizing that she was caught in a corporate tug-of-war.“As fun as it is to have lovely women in positions of power, fighting over having me in a long term commitment, I’m just a scrub trying to get a degree. I’m no Armin Van Dreadlocks.” Delphine maintained intense eye contact as Cosima replied, studying each word carefully searching for one of affirmation. Cosima could feel herself squirm under such close supervision as she tried to play off her discomfort with a smile. 

“Be that as is may, you have started developing a name for yourself. A name Duncan wishes to add as a caption to her own. Axon will hire you, under contract, with some stipulations like stating that you will cannot perform for compensation at another club or facility without penalty.”

“Shit, if I try to spuge a buck you’ll make me sniff my own crap kinda deal?” she laughed whilst Delphine retained a composed demeanor studying every detail of Cosima’s body language that affirmed her of Cosima’s agreement to the offer. She adjusted her glasses trying to feign skepticism, in an attempt to shake Delphine's business suited countenance, the girl had a poker face, but even without the incentive of working with a hot foreign supervisor the stage had won her over. Think over the spinning booth the roaring crowd, the atmosphere in was all gravity, taking her into the mused orbital ellipse. “My answer is yes as long as I get one weekend off every month for class, I have a group report to do the semester and I need to meet with the other member every so often so they know I'm not sitting on my ass or whatever.”

“I would be happy to call Martin on your behalf.”

“Oh you don’t have to do that, you're my boss not my secretary.”

“I am more our agent to be honest, and besides, if I am being honest. I really just want to rub it in their faces.”

A shy smile appeared on the girls face as she bobbed her head in coy approval, “Okay.”

 

Once the week had reached into Thursday night, Cosima was given the freedom to tinker with the lighting, as it turns out one of her fellow beastmen from the Rune Wars club and last semesters anatomy class, Scott, worked as a lighting technician at the club.

“Ready?” Hollered Scott from the metal apparatus holding the fixture to the high ceiling.

“Beam me up Scottie!” She shouted smiling as he worked on positioning the light fixture hanging above the rotation sound booth, that was now alter to shine onto the moving platform where she raised her hands up to the heavens. “I can be a drunk head bobbing angel now.”

“I’m sure you can be more than that if given the right opportunity.” A voice boomed from behind them, though not yelling but the projection coming from the small statured figure walking towards them in the empty open space over head in a fitted pencil skirt and bold a blue buttoned and pressed shirt startled the two geek monkey fiddling around with the circuits. 

“Your right, if I can get a red filter I can look like a sinning fountain dancer.”

“Clever girl.”The woman said in a blunt tone, with a smirk placed more for courtesy, than any genuine amusement. “My name is Rachel Duncan, Martin gave me less than exceptional results when it came to the meeting we were to have, I figured I would come to see you instead.”


	3. Poultry Booty

Cosima held the thick, off white business card between her fingers, it felt like a foreign thing oddly placed in her grasp, almost burning, hands begging her body to drop it. She tucked into the inside pocket of her purse and pushed the satchel off to the side somewhere, hoping the distance would help her mind get away from it. She entered the sanctuary of periodic table posters and the comforting smell of the atmospheric coffee weed aroma. Earlier, when confronted with the woman strutting through the double doors of Axon in a mathematically symmetrical bob and navy pencil skirt, Cosima assumed she was a VIP looking for Delphine. 

When the kitten heels clacked against the floor stalking in her direction, her curiosity turned to panic at the thought that the woman was there to tell Cosima she had missed a payment on her apartment or owed someone money. She realized she was speaking to the owner of the DYAD lounge once the woman put on her corporate courtesy smile she often saw on the faces of her professors. Cosima's casual lean on the soundboard turned into a straightened back, and the shift of carefree hand gestures to corporate charm. The conversation didn't last long, but something about this woman was unnerving. Cosima could feel this woman surveying every inch of her, trying to calculate her, in the same way a parent tries to figure the life story of their kid's new love interest when they bring said person home to meet the folks for the first time. 

_" You have a three day grace period to reject the offer, your salary remains as discussed, and you will report to me personally. I have already sent you my information via e-mail. I hope to heard good news from you, soon."_

Frowning at her phone screen, she didn't want to think about it all just yet, not when she had a show at Axon to plan for that same night. She thought about telling Delphine, about the whole thing, but she had no obligation too. Rationally speaking, she was in the best position to make demands, it was odd for any DJ to be offered a regularly paying salary, most would bask in it. Cosima felt discomfort, she wasn't trying to make a big deal out of this whole music mixing deal. She just enjoyed the sound, decided to share it, people liked it. Though, this was starting to become some wierd custody battle, something she wasn't really wanting to be a part of. A knock on the door jutted her from the absent staring she was pushing onto the screen of her phone as she looked at Rachel's minimalist reply.

"Oi, Cos? Open up." Cosima heard from behind the door frame. She had almost forgotten the reason she ran buy the corner store, she was carrying the small bottle of rum at her side and turned to open the door. 

 

Sarah usually went over to Cosima's apartment over every other Thursday or so, she was originally the one who landed Cosima the gig at Vic's venue when Cosima was looking for opportunitie to mix at local events. Sarah was a burlesque dancer on the weekends, and the occasional bartender on the week days when she wanted some extra cash. 'Strap' was the place, and it didn't attract the most humble and modest clients. 

Cosima had walked over to the grimy place a couple of times to meet up with Felix when he said his sister could get them discounted drinks, after a rough break-up she had with some guy who was never even worth her time they drank at the bar for little money and if Sarah was working it was free of charge. When she first walked into the place, it was ultra grunge and the stage was the only well lit area in the joint. The place smelled of weed, spilled beer, and other bodily fluids. The music was mix of dubstep rock and a weird kinda cool mix of 20's swing and wub synth, and usually, one would expect the stage to support head banging garage bands in the area. 

On Friday nights, they bring out the best of their grunge mix 20's music that makes a surprisingly fantastic track for Sarah's like BDSM burlesque dancing and lip-singing. She brought in a lot of customers, and was very popular with her 'Scarlette Savage' persona. She had told Cosima little detail about the few arguments she had with Vic about showtimes, and what her schedule should be because she has her daughter to take care of, but in the end she was the money and got her way. The Thursdays Sarah had for herself she would spend at Cosima's while Kira was being looked after by Soibhan. Sarah never had any peace of mind anywhere else. In Sarah's mind the small trip, wasn't like going out of her way to spend time with the geek monkey, more so a thing of habitual custom, a need to have shelter, and the cozy setting laced with smoke and roasted smell was something Sarah found peaceful.

The punk dancer carried a bag of store bought rotisserie chicken in hand with a half smile, leaning against the door frame.

"Took ya, long enough. I brought the booty."

"I love poultry booty. Set it over there, want some coffee."

"Mhmm, and make sure you set my biscuit on the right side of Allison's hand knit doilie yeah?" Sarah joked, making her way to the kitchen to set the chicken roughly brushing passed the counter stubbing her toe. "Ow fuck."

"Hey she made those. I'll invite the Captain" she grined as she playfully shook the bottle she held in her hand.

 

It had taken a few hours, Cosima took a couple of drinks, now taking few sips of a hearty rum and coke, while Sarah took her Captain Morgan on the rocks. Cosima got a crazy idea, looking at the dark circles sitting across from her on an old stood over the kitchen counter, this rugged woman has been able to keep her head above water with her pride and dignity, even when the water turned into a tarpit. Maybe this punk could impart some street-wise knowledge and help her find which direction is the best in her situation.

"Hey, I worked a gig at Axon."

"Yeah, the geek monkey show's gettin' a lot of wind. Vic's pretty pissed, says you're taking away the buisness." She shrugged as she hunched over the counter sitting on the stool smirking, tossing back the last of the rum, steadily reaching for the bottle.

"Not as long as you work there. But well, yeah. And now that the winds kinda like blowing up a storm I'm kinda in the middle of this... thing." Cosima signed while her hands.

"You all right?" Sarah questioned as her face leaned forward in concern, Cosima was a bit startled by the shift in the tone of the conversation, it looked as though Sarah was waiting to her she was into so debt problems with Paucci or something.

"Woah Sarah no, no. I'm not like getting pushed off a cliff for money. I'm just caught between two really good places and not really knowing which route to take." Sarah gave brief a frustrated frown as she sighed deeply, gently laughing after settling back on the stool.

"What's on Cos? When dealing with anything it's simple, you brainy one's are the guys that figure out how to blow something up when it's nothing at all. It's all Simple. Which do you want, Business or pleasure? And then stick with it." Cosima opened her own mouth to spew the elaborate details of her dilemma, but when Sarah posed the question like that, the issue seemed to shrink down in size. Which decision made the hobby feel like a droned job?

"I think you've just helped me make my decision." She smiled finishing off her rum and coke, slamming the glass on the table. She played the drunkard, with her joking sigh after tossing the glass back, Sarah wearing a crooked smile. Content, that the geek monkey had finally found her answer with her help. 

"I'm going to ignore you now and drink the rest of this when your done doing that thing. "

"What thing? I have lots of things."

"At least you're aware you freak, eat your chicken. But save some for Fe, he'll be over in a bit."

"Sarah, this bottle is pretty much completely empty."

"I told him to bring more, he's of early so he should be able to get some more before the liquor stores close once he's done sulking about his date."

 

Delphine at her desk, sitting back in her chair staring at the empty surface, hands clasped across her abdomen wondering what could she have missed, what has she forgotten and had been left to fall through the cracks to be so, calm. She hadn't had free time like this in what feels like a millennium, after the success of Neolution, her work load had been violently ripped away, as everything that she had been doing thus far since Leekie taking his leave, was all in preparation for the event. The next one was three months ahead of time. 

She was tired of looking at numbers and phone listings, and everything for the Leda event had been booked months in advance. Calling Felix to see what he was up to on his day off passed her mind, but the anticipation of Cosima's answer kept permeating through her thoughts. The fact that she was so close to securing on of the club scene's newest and hottest commodity to her arsenal. Had it been anyone else, she would have left messages, sent flowers, and persisted. Something about the way Cosima reacted to the whole pitch made Delphine more aware of Cosima's more introverted tendencies, and that space was the thing she may need the most. She looked through her contacts, and stared intently at a San Fransico area code until she was interrupted by a distinct and rhythmic knock on the door.

"The door is open, you can come in now." She hollered putting her phone away in her back pocket.

She heard glasses clacking together behind the door and a couple of curses, as Felix pried the door open with his hip.

"That's one way to greet cheap booze bitch." He snorted as he began to pour the glasses of a dark rum for the booth of them.

"Non, Felix I have work to-"

"You can twiddle your thumbs all you want. What if I could guarantee a casual meeting with you and your new prospect over a couple of drinks and seal the whole business deal. Cosima is a happy drunk, and she sticks by what she says otherwise, which is nice. Besides, you've been sleeping in the office for the past two weeks, and it is making me develop hiking trails all over the corners of my eyes."

"...Mhmm c' est vrai. I could use a bit of a day off, and there isn't much to do as far as business is concerned. Though, I cannot leave the club unattended."

" Beth can take care of the club. If she can take down a divorcee with a nasty hangover, a night with the cities most laid back atmospheric bio domes should be fine." Felix joked as he playfully tried to drag Delphine out of her seat, trying to coax her out of the leather swivel chair. She debated within her own mind of the professional aspect of the casual encounter, she figured going out to Cosima's flat to meet up with her would be dangerously close to being a club lobbyist. Something in Felix's honest smiles and laughter reminded her of Cosima's, and she settle taking the role of Felix's designated driver if she had agreed to the invitation.

 

Drinks have been spilled, laughs have been had, the two are on the edge of gone, balancing themselves of the tightrope of sobriety. Though they were pretty far gone, Cosmia and Sarah kept a comfortable hold on their plane of reality. Cosima has turned on her music, and though it is only 8:00pm they are both well into the night grinding with the motions of sound, Sarah shrugging her shoulders to the music, Cosima twirling and fluid motion of bone and muscle around Sarah. When they both heards Felix's familiar rhythm banging against the door. 

Eyes closed, as if to take the music with her as she danced her way to the door frame, flinging her arms around Felix's neck, placing a loving kiss on his cheek, Cosima realizes that Felix didn't have blonde hair to brush softy against her cheek as she removed her lips from his face. Revealing the flushed face of her future employer and boss. A sober Cosima would have apologized, sober Cosima would have smacked her palm against her own forehead, and the other would have flared and signaled her exuberant apologies. Happy, 6 drink drunk Cosima went with the gesture in stride, and offered her delighted surprise.

"Delphine! I thought you were Felix. Hope I didn't freak you out, welcome to the trip. We have rum and Chicken, if it tickles your fancy." Cosima laughed as she slowly released her grasp from around Delphine's body smiling happily, oblivious t the cherry red face hanging above her own head.

" Pas de problem Cosima. IT has been quite sometime since I hadn't anything urgently pending. I would love to have, my fancy tickled?" Delphine smiled, trying to bury the flush in her face.

"Well we drank all the stuff Sarah brought, but it looks like Felix to care of that issue." She giggled and took the bottle of Buchanan's from Felix's grasp with a clumsy swipe, and successfully took Delphine's coat and bag after the third try. She set it aside gesturing to her modest space, with Sarah occupying a couch arm rest, with her sluggish grin tilting her head up in approval. Felix walked over hugging and kissing Cosima happily, twirling her round with his long toned arms in time with the music and making his way over to Sarah hugging her wholeheartedly. Delphine had eased into a tempo of comfort, something she found astonishingly easy in the home of someone she hadn't been acquainted with informally. Something about the wallpaper and plants, in the states, people were cold and distant generally, very clear in their boundaries of what was appropriate. For some reason she found Cosima's particular invasion of space, welcomed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to type this up twice cause, well, I was an idiot and decided to delete my first write-up by accident. It was a bit difficult to get back into the rhythm of things after being so completely defeated by technology. Anyway, now I have my thought written down, so these should start updating much faster than usual.


	4. Sinkhole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things unfold as Leekie and Rachel come to terms. Delphine wakes up on the living room floor. The future of the Axon club venue burring, as it is dangerously hanging financially.

"Ms. Duncan, it’s great to finally meet you." As a modest smile laid across his cheeks, Rachel merely glanced up to meet Leekie’s eyes and directed one corner of her mouth to jut upward, hanging her hand forward to meet Leekie’s eager grasp. He had arrived at DYAD to discuss a sort of partner ship, terms which both sides would have to agree to. Terms Rachel hadn’t organized and calculated, which did little to guide her in any direction favorable to the older, bald, towering man. "I hope this is a good time?"

"I could ask the same. I was aware you had taken some sort of leave, with Delphine Cormier as a locum of sorts."

"Yes well I’m lucky to have her. She is quick, efficient, and always achieves more than what is expected." They sat in one of the tables close to the bar, whose counter doubled as an aquarium housing an array of deep sea fish. Almost alien like creatures. The club was almost nautical during the day, without the music and people bustling and dancing, it was almost tranquil. One of Rachel’s personal assistants brought her a bottle of S. Pellegrino, and a tray of assorted pastries offering Leekie anything to drink. He declined politely, stating that he already ate.

" She is also quite telegenic. Perfect for Axon’s image, not too antique" she paused glancing over Leekie, he adjusted himself in his seat, "and not too juvenile. She’s spirited away a raw bit of talent it would seem. Neolution was very successful with the musings of this new performer. Slipped from the grasps of the more exclusive venue owners and such." she sneered, sipping the mineral water carefully, maintaining eye contact.

"There has been a verbal agreement from Cosima herself, but she has yet to sign anything so nothing is official. Though Delphine has been very tactful in handling the situation, one more person to work a crowd isn’t the push Axon really needs, our revenue still hasn’t reached our needs."

"I am well aware of the financial struggles plaguing your accounts. Olivier has been hearing some repugnant rumors of gambling club funds, borrowing from questionable sources, and now your knocking door to door."

"Well, I won’t confirm the bar chatter based on drunken whispers," He swallowed hard, the courteous smile turning into a pitiful gaze, Leekie had taken "leave" in order to find any sources for financial stability, loans, anything. He hadn’t notified Delphine, hoping that he would find a solution by the time he got back."But, you are obviously adequately informed, what do you need, to get me what I want."

"I want Cosima Niehaus and Delphine Cormier under contract with DYAD. Your venue will give us 10 percent of the revenue, for a currently undetermined amount of time. You will receive a lump sum of what ever money is needed to clear up your debts after signing the documents I will send to you within the week. We would have to collect the receipts of course. Make sure you don’t throw it all atop a deck of cards." 

Even though Leekie came in with the intentions of negotiating the terms of an agreement between the two rivaling companies. It seemed as though Rachel had her mind made from the start, just waiting for Leekie to show up. As she stated her demands, his expression grew solemn, almost distressed, as though looking for a crack to slip any protest. Rachel Duncan never cracked, she never gave anything unless she wanted to She had been informed. She had been well informed.

"Cosima I understand, but why Delphine? We’ve worked together for years, and she is still under contract with me for another 7 months."

"Void it. As you said she is efficient, and we are looking to expand into Europe, I need someone to look after the location here, and she did above and beyond what was expected. In all honesty she is more valuable to me, she has the experience. A low class performer with liquid limbs and an attachment to outdated sound equipment is merely the new trend to satisfy the regulars." 

This wasn’t a suggestion, this was a order, an order Leekie couldn’t refuse to follow, after two weeks of shaking couch cushions and looking for a way out of the situation he had gotten Axon into, this was the only solid solution he had come by.

"What time is it?", Rachel glared at the balding man, annoyed to be bothered with such a rudimentary pursuit of inquiry, why doesn’t he simply look at his watch, and if he doesn’t have a watch, he needs to acquire one, and to avoid all of the he could just look at his own phone. Just about anything else, instead of having to bother her with such details.

"10:00am Friday June 18th." she uttered bitterly, after glancing down at her jeweled Cartier piece. Leekie gave a deep sigh, and pained laugh showing the stressed lines in his face, laughing at the pitiful sinkhole he was barely standing in. 

"If Cosima signed the contract be fore this time today, she stays with Axon." he declared finally. This was the only demand he made, the only factor he felt he could control, but he could already feel the tension radiating off of the small woman’s body, like a batch of waste. There was an uncomfortable pause, leaving dead air between the two, as if Rachel was giving Leekie a final chance to retract his demand. He did not amend his declaration, causing Rachel to concede.

 

"If we need her to occupy the club, when a performer we have booked, is unable to comply, we will give her a notification that she will be needed to preform, I believe that is more than fair.” He nodded mechanically. “So we’ve reached an agreement Leekie, I believe we’re done here. Contact us as soon as you notify Ms. Cormier of her new… opportunity”.

 

“”“”“

There was a loud clatter and a cluster of curses wrapped in an accent different than her own. Delphine opened her eyes registering the source to be Sarah, attempting to get something in the kitchen. She looked around trying to remember where she was, movements hindered by the head resting itself on her stomach, and restrained by another nestled in the crevice between her arm and torso. Felix was still snoring and she could feel the sound vibrate against her stomach, Cosima’s hair tickled her neck as she tried to free her self from this game of body jenga.

 

"D’you want some?" Sarah hollered from the kitchen as she filled the pot with water, preparing some coffee.

 

"Yes please." She replied softly, even though neither body stirred at Sarah’s clamor in the kitchen. The three were laying on four comforters, placed on the floor in an attempt to make a sort of bedding. It resembled that of a teenage sleep over, only Delphine had trouble remembering the details of the night before, in awe at the lack of pain in her skull. She grabbed the colorfully decorated throw pillows from the couch, tucking them under the heads of her jenga mates to look for her things. 

 

She found the contract paper, smudged with ash and wine (did they walk out to get more wine?) with a signature wistfully scribbled on to the page. Delphine allowed a smiled to reach across her face, though much of the events had been blurred she knew that they all had a good time. Certainly she did not expect to wake on the floor with sleepy drunks laying on top of her.

 

Sarah hadn’t said much, merely set the cup on the counter sipping the bitterness with a welcome breath. Delphine did the same, figure she would leave to her home and get her things ready for the club. Leekie would be waiting to hear about securing the hottest commodity on the club scene. 

Delphine looked around for her phone to check any received messages. She cautiously approached Sarah and asked her to call it and listen for the vibration. She still hadn’t given any verbal confirmation, just flipped out here phone before Delphine realized she was waiting for her to tell Sarah what number to dial.

A loud vibration erupted from the pile of bodies Delphine had left, the phone ringing under Cosima’s torso. Delphine waited to see if she would stir, but the woman laid still, sleeping happily. with a grin due to the tickling vibrations. Delphine made her way back to the bodies she had left in her wake, hoping not to wake them at all. She found her self having to hoist Cosima’s body up on her own to retrieve the device. Cosima clung onto her like a child, in her subconscious, still breathing steadily. Delphine tried to place her bones back where she found them, but lost her balance falling forward, she swiftly regained her barrings only to have Cosima jolt awake at the shift in momentum. 

Cosima opened and shut her eyes repeatedly, attempting to regain her grasp on the stimuli reaching through her sensory system. Her grasp had tightened on Delphine’s neck trying to regain some of the input she was receiving. Delphine hadn’t the strength to keep them hoisted at this angle, and drop their bodies onto the floor like rocks, causing the sound of a slight crack from Cosima.

"Did I break something?" asked Delphine wide eyed, mortified at the thought that she had broken Cosima’s spine.

"No way, I’m ok…" she responded adamantly changing her gaze from the space of Delphine parted lips to her eyes. "But I think my dumb body might have." 

 

Cosima rolled over away from underneath Delphine’s arms to revealed the fragmented screen of Delphine’s phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was shorter than I would have liked. Though I felt it was some time since I updated so I made sure to post what I have so far. I need some muse-ic for some inspiration, my usual stuff is getting stale.


End file.
